She stopped short, a little hesitant and spoke as if singing a hymn, "Hi Mason, it's nice to meet you. Jada has already told me so much about you. I'm so very sorry that I hit you with the bat."
"That was you?" I asked rhetorically. I recognized the sandals. Now to put the pieces of this puzzle together. How could this have happened?
"She caught you off guard, didn't she?" Jada smirked.
"Yeah, especially since Alexa didn't sense anyone in the house."
"I still can't sense anything from her," Alexa announced. "She must be immune to my gift."
"I'm Riley, by the way," the girl said with a timid smile, then reached forward to shake hands now that she could see that I was not overly angry. Her skinny long fingers barely gripped mine as she allowed me to simply shake her seemingly fragile hand. When I released it, her fingertips seemed to linger on my palm as she pulled away. Combined with her angelic appearance the effect was a little intoxicating. It was hard to believe that she was actually the person that knocked me out.
"Do you remember when I told you about Riley?" Jada asked. Yes, of course, this was the girl that Jada ran with before they got separated. We would never have found her if I hadn't decided to search this neighborhood.
Alexa cleared her throat to get my attention. I had been caught staring at the new girl. Though not nearly as sexy as Alexa or Jada, she had a way about her that made her very attractive, somewhere between an elf queen and the good witch of the north.
"So, Mason," Alexa said coyly. "I think the answer is obvious, but I have to ask. Would you like Riley to join our group?"
CHAPTER TWELVE:
"Sure," I replied guardedly, somehow making it sound like I had more to say. The dainty girl looked like she surely needed protection, if I could quickly forget her ability to swing a baseball bat at someone's head. Then again, she did catch me by surprise. I should have been more alert and not relied so heavily on Alexa’s gift.
Riley’s immunity to my girlfriend’s sensing ability wouldn't be of much help against others, unless of course she was immune to all special gifts. But how would that work? Some abilities were more physical in nature.
I realized then that everyone was still waiting on me to continue. "I mean, if it's alright with you two. She's a friend of Jada, right?"
"Sort of," Jada replied. "We didn't get to know each other well, but I'm all for adding her to the group."
"Alexa?"
"I'll go along with whatever you decide, Mason."
"Do you have any concerns?" I asked my girlfriend.
"Not really. It's just kind of weird that I can't pick up on what she is feeling. But in a way, it's kind of nice."
"Riley, have you been on your own since you and Jada were separated?" I asked. It would be good to know now if anyone would be looking for her.
"Yes, sir," she answered respectfully.
"You don't have to call me sir. And please take a seat while we talk."
"Okay. Thank you. Jada told me already that you don't rule your clan as strict as the other men. But as the new girl I wanted you to know that I will always show you respect, especially since Jada is so fond of you. I mean as a leader."
"Yes, Jada is very fond of my boyfriend," Alexa added under her breath.
"Well then welcome to our little group," I said to the thin black-haired girl. "You referred to it as a clan. How many of these clans have you encountered?"
"Oh, maybe a dozen or so."
"How many members are in each clan?"
"That can vary greatly. A good leader will draw more girls to him and win even more from battles with the other clans. There are some men, too, that will join the bigger clans. Most of them are weaker, though. I was in a couple clans already, and they both had over twenty girls. The clan that defeated my last one must have had at least fifty, though. That was the biggest one that I've heard about."
"Are there many groups as small as us?"
"Not so much in the city since they get taken easily by bigger groups. Yours is the smallest faction that I have met so far, but I'm betting that it will continue to grow nicely under your command."
Riley's mild manner combined with her ultra-respectful behavior made her very easy to like. She was also the only girl that I've come across in months that was wearing a dress. The thin, dark green fabric floated in the air as she moved and glided smoothly across her body when she crossed her legs. Those pale thin limbs lacked the muscle tone that I was typically drawn to, but for some reason I continued to look.
"If I may be so forward," Riley said, lowering her gaze. I could tell that she wanted to approach a subject that made her slightly uncomfortable. "Jada tells me nice things about you, but I would like to know from you first hand regarding your, um, how do I say, your sexual policy."
"My what?"
Jada interjected, "I believe what Riley wants to know is if she will be required to sleep with you. I told her that you weren't like that, but she'd be more comfortable hearing it from you."
"Oh, no. Of course not. Do the clan leaders you know all rape their women?"
"Yes, sir. I mean, it's not really raping since the women agree to the terms when they join the group. Though, there are some clans that take captives for that purpose. I shudder to think what they have to go through."
"Would you like to have sex with my boyfriend?" Alexa asked, obviously annoyed by the subject. She had become more forward with this girl since she couldn’t get a supernatural reading on her. Jada laughed.
"No, miss Alexa. That's what I'm trying to say. I will follow all your rules, of course. But I would prefer not to take a turn in Mason's bed, if that is allowed."
"Well that's good to hear," Alexa said. "That's all I need is more competition. But, just to be clear, if sex were required would you still join us?"
"Wait a minute," I interrupted. "That's inappropriate. You don't have to answer that, Riley."
"It's okay," Riley replied. "I know that Alexa is your top girl and I should answer any questions that she has. I understand that she is especially concerned about me because of my immunity to her gift."
"I'm liking you more and more by the minute," Alexa stated.
"The answer to your question is yes. If Mason required sex from me in return for his protection, I would give it to him. That's the way the world is now. I would need to join a clan eventually. Your man seems like the most respectable leader I have met so far. To be honest, this is a great opportunity for me."
"Well I'm glad that he isn't like that then," Alexa said sourly.
"Miss Alexa, I would even have sex with you if Mason required it. I'm not like that by nature, though. I mean, I have never been attracted to girls. In fact, I'm not really a very sexual person at all. But I want to secure my place here with you. If either you or Mason demanded it right now, make no mistake, I would crawl over and satisfy you orally as best that I could."
"Whoa!" Alexa responded in shock. "That won't be necessary, though I'm betting that Mason would like to watch that."
"Me, too," Jada said, adjusting herself in her seat.
"Mason?" Riley asked me, seemingly emotionless, waiting for my command to have her lick my girlfriend between the legs. For an instance I visualized the fantasy. It would be something that I might like to see. My hesitation to respond earned me a slap on the leg from Alexa.
"Mason!" she said blushing, pulling her legs tighter together instinctively. "Stop it!"
"I'm sorry," I finally answered. "No, Riley, that won't be necessary. But thank you. Now, I think that we should get ready to go home. I'd like to get out of this clan's territory soon, and back to our place before dark."
I told Riley that we can help carry any stuff that she wanted to take with us, but we might need to ditch some things if we had to run. Her cache of supplies was not extensive. She was very appreciative of the offer and willing to do whatever I asked of her. I already believed that she would be a valuable addition to our team.
As Jada scouted ahead an
d Alexa focused on sensing any enemies nearby, I had more time to talk with the pale skinned waif. "So, Riley, do you have a special gift like Alexa? Or is immunity your new talent."
"I believe I do have something. I was not aware of the immunity gift before today. However, I acquired something special a couple weeks ago. For one second, I can move at an accelerated speed. That was how I was able to strike you with the bat in the house. For that again I am very sorry."
"Oh, okay," I responded. "I feel a little better about it now. I was wondering how a little girl like you, no offense, was able to knock me out."
"No offense taken," Riley replied. "I think my little girl appearance, as you call it, helps me catch people off guard. It does make me tired, though. If I need to use my ability two or three times within a few minutes, I would need to sit down and rest for a while. The same is true if I stretch the length of the burst. I guess that it is a recharge of sorts."
"Still, that is an awesome talent," I said. “I’m sure it can give you quite an advantage in combat.”
"It is yours now."
"Excuse me?"
"My talent is yours to use as you wish. I will trust that you will not abuse it or put me in a position of higher risk than necessary. I will only use it when you command, or when I feel it is absolutely required to assist the clan in a crisis."
I didn't have time to respond as Alexa stopped abruptly and grabbed my arm. Her expression of fear and alarm had me concerned. "Alexa?"
"Jada is scared!" she said. "She's around the corner of that house, and I can't sense anyone else there. I believe she is standing still."
"Well, let's go see what it is," I said as I ran forward. Riley joined me, still able to glide as she sprinted. She was more graceful than a gazelle. I wondered if she was like that back before the world went to shit.
"Be careful, Mason," Alexa called out, not keeping up with us due to the fear she was sensing from Jada.
The problem became obvious as soon as we rounded the corner. A lone wolf with pitch black hide and green eyes stood before Jada. He had been slowly approaching her until we were spotted. Jada didn't even have a weapon raised. She must have been mesmerized by that emerald gaze. Then the beast stared right at me and I felt it, too. I couldn't move. I was still able to see clearly what was going on, and fear that I was going to be eaten by the wolf, but I could not do anything about it. Not a muscle in my body responded to my command.
"Oh shit!" Alexa muttered when she caught up. Then the wild dog stared at her, also. This beast must have been more powerful than others we have seen if it could affect multiple people at the same time. It glanced between us every so often to continue the influence.
The three of us stood there paralyzed as our newest member took quick action. She slowly lifted the wooden bat that she used to clobber me earlier that day and took a deep breath. When the wolf turned to her she bolted forward at incredible speed and whacked that fucker in the head before he could dodge the blow. A yelp erupted from the thing briefly, then it fell to the ground, presumably dead. Instantly, the three of us were released from its spell. Fortunately for everybody, Riley was immune to the animal's trance.
"Oh my God!" Jada yelled out. "I thought I was going to die! Thank you, Riley."
Jada went quickly to Riley and hugged her. The thin girl responded with less enthusiasm for the embrace and replied, "You are welcome, Jada." I could see that the new girl was feeling tired from her exertion, but Jada didn't notice.
"Riley, I am so glad you joined us,” Jada continued. “Feel free to use any of my stuff. Hell, you can even share my bed. By the way, will you also take orders from me?"
Riley turned to me expecting me to answer. Apparently, she would sleep with Jada if I commanded it. And Jada almost seemed to want it. Damn! I am liking this new girl.
"Jada!" Alexa shouted. "Stop being so horny all the time and leave Riley alone. She is not our sex slave. Thank you, Riley for saving us. Don't let Jada make you do anything you don't want to do. Understand?"
"Yes, thank you. I am so glad that I was able to be of value to the clan so quickly. I'm kind of exhausted all the sudden, though." Jada and Alexa helped Riley lower herself to the ground to rest.
"How long does it take for you to get your energy back?" I asked.
"A few minutes," Riley answered like she was drifting off to sleep.
"We don't have a few minutes," Alexa said. "I think there are some people following us. They must have heard horny Jada screaming out."
"Oops, sorry," Jada said as she readied her spear looking back the way we had come. "How many of them?"
"Maybe four," Alexa responded as she focused her skill.
"Are they the rifle girls?" I asked.
"I don't know."
"Okay, this is what we are going to do,” I told them. “We've got to keep moving. Jada and Alexa, take the bags that Riley was carrying."
"I don't think she can walk, Mason," Jada objected.
"She won't have to. I'm going to carry her until she gets her strength back. Let's go."
We never did see who was following us, but Alexa kept us posted on their distance. They matched our pace until we reached New Hampshire Avenue. Once we crossed, they turned around and left us be. At that point Riley was back to her normal self which made it easier for us to cross the main road quickly and unseen. The sun was setting behind us in an orange glow as we made our way through the barricade back into the old beer store that we called home.
I was more than a little tired myself by the time we all got inside. It had been a very eventful and stressful day. We encountered more enemies with rifles. Jada injured one and then killed another. I got whacked unconscious with a baseball bat. We gained a new member to our team and she saved us from a trance wolf. Then, I carried her in my arms for almost ten minutes as we hurried home while being followed by unknown predators. I’d had enough excitement to last me a while.
Riley wasn't awfully heavy, but it was a little awkward carrying a virtually limp adult while jogging. She kept her arms loosely around my neck as I cradled her in my arms. Her dress rode up as we bounced which placed her creamy thin thighs against my skin. I was distracted by it at times but tried not to think too much about it. Her beautiful face and large dark eyes were even a bigger problem. Occasionally, I saw Alexa glancing at me perplexed.
"I'm sorry," I told my girlfriend once Riley was able to walk.
"I know," she responded, then leaned in for a quick hug. It was tough having my emotions read all the time by my lover, but at least she was understanding. Given a choice, I wondered if most women wouldn't prefer to have that knowledge. Some of it might be shocking at first, but then once they realized that we had nothing to hide, it might be for the best. I couldn't say for sure. Understanding one woman was difficult enough for me. Trying to understand them all would be impossible.
Though Riley's emotions were not all that evident, I could tell that she was delighted to be joining us in our home. She was surprised at first to learn that we had chosen a retail store for our domicile. She said some clans were based in shopping centers with furniture stores, but most took over apartment buildings to gain the comforts of home while limiting access to the building. It made a lot of sense to me. If we had to end up moving, we should consider that.
Riley eagerly assisted Alexa in making a quick dinner. We were all starving from the long day. Jada and I moved some shelving to form a bedroom for our newest member, then gathered some blankets to provide cushioning for her bed. After the meal the girls insisted on teaching Riley how to play Castles & Catapults. They were so excited to have a new player. I took the opportunity to go topside and look around again. It was a clear night, so the moonlight provided some visibility. There wasn't much to see, though. That was good news. Maybe we had some time to rest before figuring out what we wanted to do.
When I came back down the three attractive girls were all on the couch telling stories. I approached slowly trying to eavesdrop, just for fun.
Alexa knew I was there, of course. It was good to hear them laughing with each other. There wasn't much to laugh about in this dystopian society. It was the first time I saw Riley truly smile. It was a very nice sight indeed.
"You three having fun?" I asked as I walked up. There was no room left on the sofa for me, but that was fine. It was just about bedtime. They all answered to the affirmative. Then I asked Riley, "Are all the clans enjoying themselves like this?"
"No, Mason," Riley answered with her elegant soft voice. "You have the happiest and most beautiful women by far."
The comment felt so good that I almost cried. I quickly composed myself to make sure I didn't tear up, but it was too late. Alexa jumped off the couch and gave me a necessary hug. She continued to cling to me in comfort, something I rarely needed. At that instant I knew that I truly loved her and would do anything for her. With my eyes closed enjoying the moment I didn't see Jada coming to join in. We welcomed her into the threesome embrace, of course.
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